Film-cabinet.



Patentd H6115, 1919.

G. J. GILMORE mm GABlNF-T. APPLICATION FILED/FEB 5, 1910,

- iwwmxm W 3 i T w ww w F 1 FLT: a? E HUT N E u v H n M 72 5, W4

TED s AES FILM-CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1910.

Application filed Februaryfi, 1910 Serial N 0. 542,318.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Guoncn J. GILMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Film-Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto film cabinets. of that class adapted for storing combustible or inflammable films and protecting them against injury or destruction by fire. Cabinets of this class are intended for use in connection with the moving picture industry that is to say, they are employed for storing or holding spools of film such as are used upon moving picture machines, commonly known as kinetoscopes. Such films comprise long strips or ribbons having pictures thereon of objects in motion, each picture following the other in regular sequence so that when the film is run through the machine and the pictures are projected in rapid succession upon a curtain or screen, it has the effect of producing the appearance of animated objects in motion. Films of this type are usually made of highly inflammable or combustible material, so that when subjected to a very high degree of heat or to a flame or fire, they ignite readily and are quickly consumed, thereby endangering any other films lying near by and also the structure itself in which they are contained.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a cheap, simple and efficient-cabinet adapted to hold a plurality of films and having means for protecting each individual film (not already exposed) from fire, located either outside of the cabinet or within the same. I p

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of this specification and to such ends this invention consists in a fireproof film storing cabinet having a plurality of jacketed individual compartments provided with gravity doors or covers that are held against accidental outward movement from internal forces.

The invention further consists in the several novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings furnished herewith 'in which Figure 1 is a \Zertical section through a cabinet containingthe invention, the line of Section being in iated at 1 1 Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a front view of the cabinet with one of the chambers or compartments exposed to view, Fig. 3 is a horizontal section partly broken away and taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a. fragmental perspective view of a front upper corner of the cabinet with the doors or covers re1noved,Fig. 5 is a similar View looking from the inside with other parts removed and Fig. 6 'is a diagrammatic side view of a modified form of the invention.

In these views 10, is the outer shell or casing of the cabinet, and 11, 11, 11, the innor shells that receive the spools of film. The outer casing and inner shells preferably open out in one direction through a main entrance opening 12, in the outer casing and individual openings 13, 13, 13 in the inner and operate to close the openings under the influence of gravity and seal the same against the passage of fire therethrough. The structure thus far described forms a cabinet having indiviudal compartments that are protected from each other and on their exterior, each capable of being exposed to View independently of the other.

In construction the outer casing comprises a top 16, bottom 17, sides 18, 18, and rear wall 19, preferably of sheet metal suitably joined together. At the front are vertical guideways or grooves 20, 20, and a horizontal groove 21, which are preferably provided on a fra'me.22, secured to the casing 10. The

door 14, slides in the guideways 20, and is provided with a handle 23, by means of whichit may be raised. The upper edge of the door may be bent back to form a flange 24, for stifienin'g the same, and for engaging the inner doors to insure the closing thereof. This single door, it will be observed, covers the entire front of the cabinet and when closed completes the inclosure or jacket for the inner'chambers or compartments, Each of the inner shells comprises, a top 25, bottom 26, sides 27:27, and rear wall 28, suitably joined together. The shells are secured to a plate 29,'which extends across the casing near itsforward end. Said plate is preferably formed with side flanges 30, that are riveted or otherwise secured to the outer casing. Openings 2%), that coincide with the openings 13, in the inner shells, are left in the plate 29, and fi anges 31, are provided on the edges of saidopenings, to which flanges are riveted or otherwise secured, the front edges of the inner shells. Guideways 3?, are provided on the plate 29, and the inner doors slide in said guideways. In the preferred form of the invention, rabbeted strips 33, are secured to the plate to form the guideways, and if desiredsimilar strips 34, may be provided at the bottom of the plate to receive the lower edges of the doors. The doors 15, project out through slots 36, in the top of the casing, and the upper edges of said doors may be bent back to form reinforcing flanges 37. Handles 35, may be attached to the inner-doors to enable the ,user to readily open them. If desired, stops 38, 39, may be provided upon the doors to limit their upward movement,'thereby preventing the user from removing the doors. The inner shells are made of such size compared with the outer casing, as to leave air spacesAO, between the shells and casing, and air spaces 41, between the adjacent shells, and the plate 29, is set back considerably from the main door 14, so that the inner Shells are completely surrounded by protecting air spaces which insure erfect safety to the I contents of each in ividual chamber or lugs 42, by means of which it may be secompartment.

The cabinet may be provided with ears or cured to a wall or other sup ort and the bottoms .of the shells may inc ine downwardly toward the rear of the cabinet so that the.

opening in the front.

From my experiments I have discovered that it is important to provide means for prreventing the doors from being forced open om'the inside of the cabinet because the film'in one chamber may become ignited while the door thereof is open, and 1f the latter is then closed while the film is burning, the expansion of the air and gases in the chamber act to force thedoor open, thereby permitting the flames to escape and spread to the ad acent chambers. I have found that catches, locks, etc., are not alwa s effective, because frequently they fail to ock,'unless the attendant is very careful.

By rovidin guiding means on the cabinet case the film receiving chamber 11, may be placed within the casing 10, as in the preferred form, with the openings facing one way. The doors 14, 15, instead of sliding in grooves, as do the doors of the preferred form, are carried by arms 50, that are fulcruined upon the cabinet so that the doors may be raised to uncover the openings by swinging them up on their fulcrums. The side wallsof the casing and film receiving chambers SllOlPlfl of course conform to the arc of the doors so as to leave no gaps. In this case also the door will remain closed regardless of pressure against its 'sides either from Within or without the cabinet.

In use a spool of film may be placed in each chamber and the doors closed. To remove a spool of film, the outer door is first raised and then the door of the chamber containing the desired spool of film, is'raised. When the film has been removed, the doors are released and they fall under the influence of gravity to their closed positions, thereby sea ing the openings against the'passage of fire. In case the raised inner door does not.

'positively effecting the closingof said inner door simultaneously with outer door.

I am aware that various alterations and the closing of the modifications of this device are possible without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not therefore desire to limit myself to the exact form of construction shown and described.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 1. A film cabinet comprising in combination, an outer casing, a plurality. of inner film receiving chambers therein, spaced away from the outer casing and from each other to leave air spaces therebet-ween, said inner chambers having doorways opening into the outer casing, a sliding door for the opening of each chamber arranged to close under the influence of gravity, and guiding means for controlling said doors to move in a direction longitudinal of themselves.

2. A film cabinet comprising in combination, an outer casing having an opening in its front which is closed by a door arranged to close under the influence of gravity, a 1nrality of individual film receiving cham ers spaced away from said casing and away from each other to leave air spaces therebetween,sai(l chambers having openings that open into the outer casing and are closed by doors ,ar'ranged to close under the influence of gravity and means for reventing accidental ontward movement 0 the inner doors;

'3. A film cabinet comprising in combination, an outer casing having an opening in its front which is closed by a door arranged va plurality of film receiving chambers ported within said casing and spaced thereto close under. the influence of gravity, a plurality of individual film receiving chambers spaced away from said casing and away from each other to leave air spaces thereb-etweemsaid chambers havingopenings that open into the outer casing sliding doors ar ranged to close under the influence of gravity and guideways for controlling said inner doors to move in a direction longitudinal of themselves. p

4. A film cabinet comprising in combination, an outer casing, aplurality ofti'nner film receiving chambers therein, spaced away from the outer casing and away from each other to leave air spaces therebetween, said inner chambers having doorways opening into the outer casing, a movable door forthe opening of each chamber arranged to close under the influence of gravity, and means for preventing accidental outward movement of the inner doors.

5. A film cabinet comprising in combination, an outer casing having an open fro'nt adapted to be closed! by a door which operates to close under the influence of gravity and seal the interior of the casing against the entrance of fire, a plurality of film' receiving chambers within said casing, each having an entrance opening that opens-out into the .outer casing, a vertically sliding doonfor each of said last named openings guided to move in front thereof, and operating to'close under the influence of gravity and .sealthe opening against the passage of fire.

6. A film casing comprising in combination, an outer casing having an entrance opening, a vertically sliding door for said opening, operating to close under the influence of gravity and seal the opening against the passage of fire,- gui'devv'ays for said door,

sup-

from to leave an air space between the casing and chambers, said chambers having individual openings that open into the outer casing, a vertically sliding door for each of said last mentioned openings, operatingito close under the influence of gravity and seal said openings against the passage of fire and guideways for said last named doors.

7. A film cabinet comprising in combination, an outer casing open at the front and having a vertically sliding door guided thereon, and operating to close under the influence of gravity and seal said opening against the entrance of fire, a plate secured to said. casing and spaced away from said door, and having a plurality of entrance openings, film receiving chambers extending back from said plate and into the huter casing, said chambers being spaced away from the casing and away from each other, and

individual, vertically sliding doors for the openings to the chambers, guided to move upon said plate and operating to close under the influence of gravity and seal said last named openings against the passage of fire.

8. A film cabinet comprising in combination, an outer casing having an opening in its front which is closed by a door arranged to closeunder the influence of grav1ty,'a plurality of inner individual film receiving chambers having openings that open out into the outer casing andare closed by doors arranged to close under the influence of gravity said outer door having means, arranged to engage with any of said inner doors and adapted to positively move the same in unison with the outer door in its closing movement.

9. A film cabinet comprising i Combination, an outer casing havingan opening in its front which is closed by a door arran ed to close under the influence of gravity, :1. p urality of inner individual film receiving chambers having openings that 0 en out into the outer casing and are closed b arranged to close under the influence of gravity, a rearwardly projecting flange on the outer door arranged to engage with any raised inner. door, and operating to positively move the same to closed position simultaneously with the closing of the outer door.

10. A film cabinet comprising in combination, an outer casing, a plurality of spaced film receiving chambers therein, having downwardly and rearwardly sloping bottoms, and having, openings which open into the outer casingfand individual, gravity operating doors for said openings.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook county, IlllLulS, this 3rd day of February 1910.

'' GEORGE J. GILMORE.

Witnesses:

CHARLES; O. Snnnvnr, FANNIE F. Rrcrmnos.

y doors 

